I and A Mag Dec19

Six Tips for a Healthy Winter
The shorter, darker, colder, wetter days of
winter can leave even the fittest and chirpiest
of us feeling mentally and physically rundown.
To keep you feeling better through the
winter:
1: Reduce your infection risk
Colds and flu are rife at this time of year, and while being cold
cannot give you a cold (only a virus can do that) it can stress
your body and lower your immunity. Take extra care with
hygiene and take antibacterial hand gel with you when you go
out. Sadly, not everyone who touches shop door handles and
uses public transport practises good hygiene.
If you’re eligible for a free flu vaccine, or are in an at-risk group
for whom the vaccine’s recommended, make sure you get it
early, before flu season gets underway. Ignore those who claim
the vaccine gives you flu; it can’t, as it contains no live viruses.
People who get flu after the vaccine may have a rarer flu strain
not covered by the vaccine or may have already had a flu virus
before their vaccination became fully active (10-14 days after
vaccination).
2: Keep exercising
Exercise can boost your immune system, release endorphins
that make you feel better and warm you up, too. If you’re
normally an outdoor exerciser, cold, wet weather might put you
off. If it doesn’t, bundle up and stay safe by avoiding exercising
when its icy and wearing bright, reflective clothes if you’re out
in the dark.
If the winter weather does put you off, consider indoor
alternatives: swimming, indoor climbing, exercise classes,
short-term passes for a local gym, a new exercise DVD or even
some home gym equipment like an exercise bike or weights.
The NHS has some great free exercise routines. Check out
www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise and click on ‘fitness guides’ for
a range of ten-minute workouts and exercises, or www.nhs.
uk/conditions/nhs-fitness-studio for online exercise videos.
The range covers yoga, Pilates, strength exercises, aerobic
workouts and more, so there’s something for everyone.
3: Get enough daylight, fresh air
and vitamin D supplements!
Tempting as it might be, hibernating indoors
isn’t great for your health. Your body uses
sunlight to regulate your body clock and create
vitamin D, an essential vitamin for building
strong teeth, muscle and bone. However, while
daylight helps, between October and early
March in the UK there’s not enough of it for
you to make sufficient vitamin D, even if you
regularly spend time outdoors; nor can you
make up the deficit by eating vitamin D-rich
foods like oily fish (e.g. salmon, sardines,
herring and mackerel), red meat, liver, egg
yolks and fortified foods like fat spreads and
breakfast cereals. So while getting some
winter sun and eating vitamin D-rich foods
can help, the NHS recommends that everyone
should top-up with a daily 10mcg vitamin D
supplement during the autumn and winter.
4: Stay warm
Being too cold puts stress on your body. When the temperature
drops below 8°C, some people are at increased risk of mental
or physical illness, especially if they’re over 65, disabled,
pregnant, have young children (under school age), have a
mental health condition or have a long-term health condition.
Low temperatures increase vulnerability to heart attacks,
stroke, flu, pneumonia, hypothermia, falls and injuries, and can
worsen mental health conditions like depression and dementia.
It also increases the symptoms of Raynaud’s Disease, a
relatively common condition that interrupts blood supply to
the extremities, causing symptoms such as pain, numbness,
stiffness and pins and needles. It most commonly affects the
fingers, and you may notice them go white or even blue and
then turn red as blood flow returns.
Keep your home heated to at least 18°C and use hot water
bottles, heat packs or electric blankets if you need them. Try
a hot bath rather than a shower, have hot drinks and eat for
warmth (hot cereals, soups and stews are good options). Prewarm
clothes on a radiator or in your airing cupboard, and
once you’re outdoors try to breathe through your nose, as
this warms air before it reaches your lungs. Wear layers, warm
gloves and a hat. If you have Raynaud’s Disease, use hand
dryers for a warmth top-up while you’re out, wear an extra pair
of gloves and socks, and avoid heavy carrier bags that restrict
blood flow to your fingers.
5: Eat healthy comfort food
Comfort food doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Stews and soups
are great winter foods, but watch your fat and salt intake and
include plenty of vegetables. Homemade soups are easily
made with a cheap, simple blender, and cooked fruit with lowfat
custard makes a great winter pudding. The NHS website
has some healthy, warming recipes for dishes like fish pie,
lemon chicken and vegetable soup. Just visit www.nhs.uk/livewell/eat-well
and click on recipes.
6: Finally… look after your mental health
Stay active, warm and sociable: exercise, time spent outdoors
and the company of others can all help stave off winter blues.
However, if you think you may have full-blown SAD (Seasonal
Affective Disorder), see your GP for help. Don’t suffer in silence.
by Alison Runham
16